1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates in general to elevator systems which include a plurality of elevator cars and a supervisory system processor for directing their activity, and more specifically to new and improved methods and apparatus for servicing such elevator systems.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Elevator systems having a plurality of elevator cars require some sort of supervisory control system, or all of the cars may attempt to answer a hall call when it is registered. The supervisory control system obtains information from the plurality of elevator cars relative to their positions and status, and assigns the currently existing work load, i.e., calls for elevator service, to the various cars according to a predetermined strategy built into the system processor.
Each building is unique from the standpoint of the number of floors, the population per floor, the nature of the up peak when the building is populated, the nature of the down peak when it is de-populated, and the nature of interfloor traffic. Each building is also unique in the number of basement floors, top-extension floors, special floors, such as convention floors, restaurant floors, and the like. In order to provide optimum elevator service for a building, all of the above-mentioned factors are taken into account when the number of elevator cars is initially selected for the building, and the specific strategy to be utilized by the system processor may be tailored for the building by adding certain optional features to a basic operating strategy.
If an elevator car goes completely out of service for some reason, this fact will be quickly noticed and the problem corrected by maintenance personnel. On the other hand, malfunctions which degrade the quality of elevator service, without completely disrupting it, are difficult to spot and may go unnoticed for long periods of time. The strategy of the system processor, when periodically checked, or when it is checked to pinpoint the cause of service degradation, would require dispersing maintenance personnel throughout the building to enter cells, and the responses of the cars to the calls would then be noted and timed with a stopwatch in an attempt to detect a malfunction in the supervisory system processor and/or in the car controllers of the individual cars.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,740,709, which is assigned to the same assignee as the present application, illustrates a panel position and motion indicator which selectively indicates the status of a plurality of elevator banks. This panel is for viewing only. It includes no provisions for entering commands, and no provisions for use as a servicing and maintenance tool.
Application Ser. No. 510,940, filed Sept. 30, 1974, which is assigned to the same assignee as the present application, discloses an interactive, real time elevator bank simulation system which facilitates the development and testing of new strategy. U.S. Pat. No. 3,973,648, which is also assigned to the same assignee as the present application, discloses a monitoring system for off-site monitoring, traffic study and/or troubleshooting of elevator installations, which system utilizes the interactive display panel of Application Ser. No. 510,940. U.S. Pat. No. 3,973,648 describes a monitoring system which enables communication to be established with an elevator system via a communication link, and the operation of the elevator system monitored on a display. Commands, such as car and hall calls, may be entered via appropriate pushbuttons on the display panel, and the response to the commands viewed on the display. This is a significant advance in the art of servicing elevator systems, as an elevator system may be monitored and exercised remotely. It would also be desirable to improve on-site maintenance and servicing procedures.